Facing reality
by SannaBlack
Summary: The marauders has graduated and are now facing the world outside Hogwarts. Sirius is struggling with his family name, he has to prove himself to be a man on his own and not a man of his last name.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own anything. This is a fan fiction of J.K Rowlings characters.**

**Facing reality.**

_**The rescue.**_

"He is mental." Sirius said after another day of Moody's training for the new recruits at the Order of the Phoenix.

"Yeah, but he is right though. We must be on our guard all the time now. We are no longer in Hogwarts." Remus said and sat down on a couch. They were in the orders headquarter, which for now was in a house outside London. The house was in Elphias Doge's possessions. The house had once belonged to his grandmother, but after she had passed away stood the house empty for several years; so Doge thought he could lend it to the Order as a headquarter.

Sirius gave Remus a blank look. "I have been on guard for the dark side my whole life, remember where I come from."

Lily was so tired after the training and still in a shock after Alistor Moody yelled at her for not trying too hard. It was not fair, she always did her best! But this was bloody hard, she thought and stared at her wand. James saw her troubled face and took her hand to comfort her. Their eyes meet and they smiled at each other. At least they had each other.

They woke up from their "moment" when Sirius yelled, " I don't understand why Moody don't trust me! He tells me it's because I'm a Black, and that he believe a Black are always and forever a Black! It really pisses me off to know that he is the only one standing between me and my training to become an Auror. I made my mind about it years ago, and my N.E.W.T. degree are good enough for entering the school." He fell down on the couch. Peter nodded, "Maybe you have to prove that you're trustworthy to him".  
>Sirius give Peter a stare, "I'm trying but it's not good enough for him. I mean, what more can I do? He won't thrust me until I give him Voldermort's head on a plate!" Sirius didn't notice that some of his friends shrugged when he said the name.<p>

"Oh, come on Sirius, just keep hanging there. He will soon come around and then you will be in at no time", said James and smiled at Sirius.

"James are right. Besides, he isn't exactly nice to any of us", Lily said gave James a kiss and walked out of the room. She was headed to her work in the ministry. Sirius watched her with gloomy eyes. He was so frustrated.

Sirius was home in his house, James lived with him for now; but he and Lily would soon move together. They really loved the place, it felt almost like the dormitory back in Hogwarts. They all missed Hogwarts very much, they missed to be carefree children full with pranks.

James had been gazing in silent for a while, then he spoke up ,"I have brought wedding rings. Its finally time to ask Lily if she would like to marry me. There is no reason to wait with that, who knows how long this war is going to be and how long we all are going to live".

Sirius felt an emotional pain in his chest. He was not afraid to death, not at all, but the idea of losing his friends terrified him more than anything else. He hated when James spoke like that. He forced a smile on his face, "Great James. I'm happy for you too".

"Don't be yet. We don't know if she will accept my proposal."

"She will. I can feel it."

"Oh, so you're a medium now Sirius?"

They laughed. And started to talk about how James had chased Lily over the years. Suddenly there were a loud bang on the door and a quite familiar voice yelled. "Death eaters have attacked a street full with muggles, we need everyone there now!" The two young men run up opened the door and disapparated together.

There were smoke everywhere, some o the houses were burning. People screamed. Death eaters fought both Aurors and Order members. The death eaters were more at number than usually. Must be the new recruits Sirius thought, then a another emotional pain come across him. This was it, this was the time he had to fight his little brother on life and death for the first time. There were no going back now.

A jolt of green light almost hit him. The marauders formed a circle, the backs at each other. Sirius fought with a rage, it made him extremely fast but maybe not at his best focus. They were almost outnumbered. Lily screamed when she got hit by a flipendo, James helped her up on her feet again. They regrouped to be more flexible. The girls, Lily and Marlene, ran away to save some attacked muggles. Peter and Remus fought two death eaters. Sirius and James ran up the street to meet a group of death eaters who worked on making another house burn. They saw Moody and some others from the Order fight with high profession. Sirius heard a scream from inside the burning house, someone was in there!

"Cornelia! She is still in there! Please someone save her! Cornelia!" A desperate mother screamed, she was stuck under a fallen tree with death eaters around her. The Death Eaters just laughed at her and her motherly instinct. Sirius acted fast, like an instinct. He run into the burning house, fire licking his body. The heat was almost unbearable. He heard the girl scream from another room, upstairs. The panic scream from the mother could be heard between the roar of the fire.

"Aquamenti!"

Water from Sirius wand fell over the fire. He made a small fire free path to walk on. The stares crack under Sirius footsteps, they must hold, he thought in panic. Finally upstairs he saw the girl under her bed, screaming. Sirius bent down and tried to make her come up from under the bed. But she didn't move, she was in a great chock. Her big blue eyes stared back at Sirius from under the bed.

"Cornelia, that's your name right? I'm Sirius, Imp here to help you go to your mother, she is waiting for you outside."  
>She looked at him, fear in her eyes. She still didn't move. The roof started to give in, they had to get out now.<p>

"Cornelia, you must trust me." Sirius hold out his hand to the girl. She looked into his eyes, suddenly could she see his soul through the silvery eyes. Cornelia felt safe, she saw his honesty and comforting soul. For what Sirius felt like eternity, she took his hand.

He drag her out from the bed, hold her tight to himself. The roof had fallen down on the stairs so they had to jump through the window. He looked out, it was a quite long fall. Suddenly the roof fell down the window. They were trapped. Sirius had to apparate them out, but he had never done it with someone else on his chest, and this kid was a muggle. What if he apparated and she will be left, or what if only the half of her made it. Could he risk it? He looked around, he had to, there were no other way. He hold her tighter and concentrated on the spot outside the house. Pain.

Sirius opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Cornelia's deep blue eyes gazing into his. He made it, they were both outside and in one piece too. She gave Sirius a smile. Sirius had a strange feeling in his stomach, for the first time in his seventeen (soon eighteen, as he was born late)long life, he truly felt like an adult. He had just saved this young girls life, this was a work of an Auror, and he loved the feeling. And children, maybe he was good with children.

"Cornelia! Thank God you're alive!" Her mother run to them and took Cornelia from Sirius arms into hers. She sobbed in relief and hold her tight into her chest. Some aurors had fought the death eaters who had harassed her and saved her from under the fallen tree.  
>"Don't thank God mother, thank Sirius" The child whispered into her mother's ears. The mother looked up to meet Sirius eyes. But hands from two aurors grabbed her to sow them to safety. Sirius heard the sound of Peters voice, screaming spells in panic. Sirius run at him, he saw Peter fighting two death eaters on his own. He could barely keep the fight going, he dodged spell after spell. Sirius run to his side and they fought like united. Suddenly the death eaters draw back and disapparted, leaving them alone in the smoking street.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

When they finally came back at the headquarter healed they their wounds from the battle. Moody had went to inform Dumbledore about the situation. James and Sirius helped Peter to a chair, he had got a terrible wound on his left leg. Marlene McKinnon and Emmeline Vance, Lily's roommates from Hogwarts, looked tiered and shaken.

" You all fought well today, I'm sure Moody is pleased." Edgar Bones said. He was an older wizard with a serious face, he was a well respected wizard. He was both intelligent and blessed with a great magical power. The recruits nodded, they were to tiered to respond.  
>"And Sirius, good job rescuing that girl. You could be a damn good aouror if Moody let you in the auror training school."<br>A gleeful smile went over Sirius face.  
>"Thanks Mr. Bones."<p>

"I'm only telling the truth. You were all great today, I think you deserve some rest now." Said Bones and walked out from the room and the house.

"Damn I'm tiered. Said Emmeline Vance and sat down after she and Remus had healed Peters leg. Peter was deadly pale and could barely keep his eyes up. Remus sat down beside him letting him lean over him. Sirius gave Remus a glance, he knew it was full moon soon and with that Remus' energy was low; even lower than the rest of them.

"Well, we could just stay here over the night now. Good night, I'm off to bed now before I fell asleep standing." Said Lily, gave James a kiss and went out; Vance and McKinnon followed her.

Sirius gazed in front of him. He was thinking of his little brother, he wondered if he had been there tonight and if so which one had been him? He still loved Regulus. Sirius saw himself as a failure for losing his younger brother to the death eaters. He had tried to tell him otherwise but his family and his Slytherin classmates had convinced and seduced him to the dark side. Sirius new Regulus had joined the death eaters when he was just fifteen years old. The Dark Lord had ways of seducing young and strong students to his side, he had spies everywhere who told the kids they would get respect and power if they just obeyed the Dark Lord. Many how had high thoughts about them self had fallen for it and joined. Severus Snape was one of them, he had been the one striking the final blow which made Regulus take the final step to join the dark lord. When Sirius had heard about it had his mind blown away with hate for Snape. He had run after him and it had almost ended up him killing Snape, but luckily had James come and saved him.

The battle against Lord Voldemort was personal on a whole different level then for the rest of his friends at the Order, at least so far. Sirius could not help it, but he never stop to hope that Regulus should one day come over to his side. Regulus had one year left at Howgarts, but since it was summer had he and his young death eating friends all time they wanted to get into the Dark Lords business, the Dark Lord did not care about that he had kids doing his dirty work; he did not care what happened to them. But Sirius did, he wondered what mission his little brother was set up with.

Alastor Moody didn't look up when Sirius entered the room.  
>"You wanted to see me, sir"<br>Moody stared at some papers.  
>"Sit down boy"<br>Sirius obeyed. A few minutes went on in silence.  
>"So, you have been talking with Mr. Bones. He went to talk with me the other day to tell me that he thinks you did a great job saving that little girl."<br>Sirius looked up at Moody, he had hoped he would look, not proud but maybe satisfied with Sirius work three days ago. But Moody had only a dark look on his face, he watched Sirius with disgust. Sirius was confused.

"Don't you think I don't know what you're up to boy!" He suddenly yelled.  
>"You have begged Mr. Bones to talk to me about this. You desperately want to please me so I will let you in to the training school to be an auror! I know how you Blacks think and act. Snakelike. Your never hesitate to bride."<p>

Moody stared at Sirius who stared back in confusion.  
>"Sir, I never did such thing. Mr Bones went to talk to me, not vice versa. I have not asked him to talk to you."<br>"Good liars too." Moody muttered. Moody studies Sirius.

He even moves and sit like a Black, that royal look, he thought to himself. Sirius just sat there not knowing how to react.  
>"You think you did something special back there, don't you. Then I can drag you down to earth and tell you that that was not noble at all. What you did is a ordinary workday to an aouror. It's supposed of them to do what you did, and without getting applause. And by the Order members to by the way!"<p>

Moody studied Sirius again. Black didn't react of his word, strange, that boy usually had great temperament, thought Moody. Sirius did not even defend himself, he just sat still and with big silvery eyes looked back at him.

"Sir, do you know if that Cornelia is alright? And her mother?" Sirius asked with a shaking voice.

Moody looked chocked for a second and then he stared even darker at Sirius.

"Don't even think you will make me believe that you really care so much. You want to soften me up don't you."

"No. Sir. I just want to know. I would like to see her if that's possible."

"It's NOT!"

"Sir, I just want to see her and her mother. I feel connected to them now somehow. They are the first I have saved in the name of the Order."

"And who more have you saved in your short and little worth life so far. Mr Black?" Moody laughed chilly. Sirius didn't answer that but he did take a deep breath before saying;"Please, sir. I beg you."

" You are good at that aren't ya?"

Sirius bit his lip to hold his temper that was starting to bowl over by now. Moody watched Sirius for a while then said ;" I give you an address where you can find them. But on a condition, you work damn hard and don't ever say anything against me so long you are under my training." Moody started to write on a paper." And, you have to meet them before the week is over. After that they are healed they, like the rest of the muggles from that attack, has to get theirs memory from that night erased. They will remember it as some other muggles vandalised their street to make a statement on the politics in the country, a fight against the growing capitalist."

Sirius nodded and took the paper with the address. "I understand sir". And he walked out from the room. Head high. He was no Black, he was a Sirius and he was going to show that to Moody. Like he had shown to so many others.

"Did he really think you did bride Bones to make you look good?" Remus asked in shock. "Then I must admit that he seems a bit mental, Sirius. Why would he think that "

"Because he doesn't trust me. I have been telling you that from the start."  
>Remus rolled his eyes.<p>

"Maybe he want to test you?" James said and Peter nodded.  
>"I don't know. I don't care anymore" Sirius replied.<br>"You mean you don't care if he wouldn't let you in the Aouror training?" Peter piped.  
>"No Peter I don't. But I'm tired of trying to please that...thing."Sirius said and sat down at the sofa beside James.<br>Remus lay a hand on Sirius shoulders. "There must be another way in to the training. A way around Moody."  
>Sirius looked at Remus and smiled thankfully. "Maybe you're right, Moony" Said Sirius and a smile fell over his face.<p>

"Oy, by the way! Prongs, how is the proposal going?" Yelled Sirius and sat up straight.  
>"I'm waiting to the right time, Padfoot."<br>"Maybe you shouldn't wait for it but, you should make the right time for it, Prongs. Take it in your own hands such of speak."  
>"Yeah, maybe you're right Wormtail" James nodded. "But it's hard, you know."<br>"No James it not hard, just do it already. Coward!" Sirius yelled whit a smirk.

Remus laughed heartily at his friends and James expression.  
>"What if she say no. We are pretty young you know".<br>"For the hundred time, she won't!"

Peter piped in ;" Make a romantic dinner and ask her. Put the ring in a glass of champagne or something."  
>They all locked at Peter, whose face turned red.<br>"I didn't know we had such s romantic in our group." Sirius said and lay his hand on Peters shoulder.  
>"Have you meet someone new Peter?" Remus asked with a smile. Peter looked even redder, he shook his head.<br>"No, well, not really."  
>"Not really?" Sirius smirked.<br>"I mean, she works sometimes with me at Twilfitt and Tattings. She is pretty...but..."  
>"But what Peter?" James asked with amusement.<br>"Well, she is a year older than us. She was a Slytherin back in Hogwarts...But she is really nice though!" Peter hurried to say when he saw the others looks.  
>"What's her name?" Sirius asked with tightened jaw.<br>"Corale Fane"  
>Sirius laughed, he know her family. They were acquaintance with the Black family. In fact, they were even related in some way, Sirius didn't bother to know how sense it really doesn't mean anything; most of the old pure family was anyway. But he knew her father was French.<br>"She is a Slytherin?!" James yelled, Peter knew that he would react like that. Sirius laughed over James, to obvious reaction.

"Ex Slytherin, she doesn't go at Hogwarts anymore...nor do we." Peter answered.

"Well, I see myself as a Gryffindor still. Once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor! And I think the Slytherins think the same."

"Our old houses doesn't really count so much out in the real world James." Remus said and rolled his eyes and smiled at Sirius, who nooded.

"Remus is right, James. Even though we are, and will forever be, proud Gryffindors, doesn't it count so much for others. There is dark and good sides in everyone, you must stop categorize people as "Good people" and "Slytherins"." Sirius laughed. James snorted as respond.

"Odd name, isn't it? Corale." James raised an eyebrow. Remus smiled to Peter.  
>"I'm sure she is alright, Wormtail. I'm happy for you if."<br>Sirius had stopped laughing and gave Peter a smile telling him he was happy for him. But he never said that he never thought it would last long, she would be married off to someone in France sooner or later. That was, and had always been her parents plan for her. Poor Peter, he thought.


End file.
